Regional shippers upbeat despite Ebola virus threat

A senior official of the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) said he is confident, despite the fears being generated by the Ebola virus, that there will be an increase in cruise ship passengers to the region.

"It's important that all of us, especially in the cruise sector as well, to be mindful of the potential and the harmful danger of the Ebola. But the cruise lines have had some experience in terms of these types of viruses," chairman of the CSA cruise committee, Nathan Dundas,

told the Caribbean Media Corporation.

The shipping industry executive said when the cruise sector was confronted with the Norwalk and later N1N1 viruses in the past, industry stakeholders and medical officials gathered to devise a strategy for prevention and containment.

Dundas said the talks were also attended by officials from the Pan American Health Organisation.

"They are doing something similar again with regard to Ebola. They recognise the danger, they recognise the potential that it has and its consequences and they've actually put out some information ... ," Dundas said.